‘Our Life is At Stake’, Odisha Students Allege ‘Torture’ at Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan in Tripura

Agartala/Bhubaneswar: Several students from Odisha, studying at Agartala-based Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, have alleged that they were physically tortured by local students who even threatened to kill them.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday assured full protection to the Odia students who have been studying B-Ed in the institute, a deemed university.

The panic-stricken students through a video message to their friends and families have alleged that they were attacked by some students as they did not participate in a strike following some dispute during the 'Ganesh Puja' celebrations.

One of the Odia girl student claimed that some local students have beaten them.

"They had also asked us to leave the institution immediately, failing which they have threatened to kill us," she alleged.

"We have taken admission in the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan after clearing the entrance examination. But here the local students and people are harassing us," she said.

"We request the Odisha government to come to our rescue as our life is at stake," some students said.

Director General of Odisha Police, R P Sharma tweeted that he has spoken to his Tripura counterpart Akhil Kumar Shukla and subsequently the local SP visited the institute and assured security and help to the students.

"Closely monitoring the situation & in regular touch with the DGP there," he tweeted.

The Tripura DGP said, "Officials concerned are looking into the matter. Appropriate actions are being taken."

Tripura Chief Minister said in a tweet, "Students from Odisha are Tripura children too. No anti-social activities shall be allowed on the land of Ma Tripursundari. I assure full protection for students from across India in #Trip

In the tweet, Deb said he also talked to senior BJP leader of Odisha and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on this issue and assured him full safety for the Odia students.

The chief minister also directed Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath to meet the principal of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and Odia students on Thursday night to resolve the issue, official sources said in Agartala.

The Odia students alleged that though the incident was reported to the vice-chancellor of the institute on September 20, the authorities have not taken any action so far.

They said they did not lodge any police complaint in Tripura.

West Tripura district SP Ajit Pratap Singh said, "On receipt of information about tension in the institute, we rushed to the spot and talked to the students and the principal. But all of them said there was no clash there.

"However, the students said they were afraid. So we have arranged for 24-hour surveillance and also set up a police picket before the institution," the SP said.

Odisha Higher Education secretary B P Sethi said Director of Higher Education Department Parameswaran B would visit Agartala to resolve the issue.